It'll be the Death of Me
by pisces97
Summary: After defeating the notorious Equalist leader, Amon, some those still loyal to their beliefs of equality, struck the Avatar down. Ever since then, everyone has their own ways of coping from the loss of their friend. But Mako. Mako doesn't seem to be coping at all. Disappearing at night-sometimes not returning for days. Where does he go? What does he do? Will he ever heal?
1. Chapter 1

It'll be the Death of Me

Chapter One:

"I'll be back by noon tomorrow. Probably," monotonously stated Mako as he fixed his coat collar and red scarf around his neck. His movements like clockwork. Painfully silent clockwork.

He had a hand on the doorknob when Bolin stopped petting Pabu where they both sat on the wood flooring in their dismal apartment in Republic City.

"Mako…I—I don't think that's such a good idea. Kor—"

"Stop!" Mako brashly yelled at his brother. He realized then he frightened his younger brother with that sudden outburst, regretted ever opening his mouth. He rubbed his golden eyes with a gloved hand and said, however much softer this time, "Stop, Bo, Stop. I can't take it." Then Mako yanked open the door and left.

It's been like this for months. _He's_ been like this for months.

Mako's days consisted of lying about in his shabby, unkempt room all day—only coming out when darkness fell over the city. In place of his white stained tank top shirt and his patch worked pants, he wore his normal attire—jacket, gloves, scarf—everything. Then, he just…left. Disappeared into the city—into the night without a word as to _where_ he was going. Sometimes he came back when he promised. Others, Bolin waited for days for his older brother to come back to him.

Sometimes Bolin thought he wouldn't. Sometimes Bolin thought Mako would _leave. _That's why Bolin worried, not because he was clueless as to where Mako went, but because he didn't know if he'd ever come _back._

_Really come back._

_ Heal._

Korra's been dead for four months now.

For the first month straight, Tenzin and the airbending family held a ceremony at Air Temple Island. The whole of Republic City came. The whole world even, it seemed like; mourning the loss of a person they never knew and never would.

Asami was there, as were Bolin and Mako. Iroh, Bumi, and Noble Hobo Man, too. They all took the blow like everyone else. Asami shed tears. Bolin shed many more.

Everyone is still healing from the loss of their loved one, their friend. But they _are _healing. Slowly.

Mako never got better. Not after the Equalists took Korra away. If anything, he progressively got worse. First, it was just sleeping or holed up in his room well into the daylight hours. Then came the no sleeping at all. Then eating vanished. And finally, these disappearances at night and sometimes for days on end.

Mako wasn't _here _anymore. Mako was…lost without Korra.

And Bolin—not matter how hard he tried to help his aching, grieving, brother, to extend a helping hand…Mako just turned the other way with a "I'm fine." spoken quietly on thin lips.

Bolin loved his brother. Mako cared for him, looked after him, fed and clothed him ever since after their parents were taken. Bolin needed Mako.

But now, Mako needed Bolin. Desperately. Bolin wanted—needed—to return the favor, but couldn't. Mako would push him away. Further and further away until…until…

He didn't know.

He didn't know if Mako would ever be the same again. And he was afraid. Afraid. Afraid. Afraid.

Bolin got up off the floor, cradling a fuzzy fire ferret in his arms. Pabu exhaled a few chattering, chirping noises and Bolin scratched his head behind his ears, "Don't worry Pabu," his voice shook, "Mako will be back soon."

Then, as silver tears ran down his cheeks, he padded over to his room, leaving the steaming pot of noodles on the cooktop. He wasn't hungry.

The door creaked open, revealing his solitary bed, next to his tiny wooden bed stand and the wardrobe on the opposite wall. He slugged over to the bed and set Pabu down on the pillow, who was fast asleep, possibly dreaming, eating as many watertribe noodles as his furry little belly could hold. Bolin put a small, fire-ferret-sized sheet across Pabu and tucked his best friend in. With a sigh, he said, "Goodnight buddy. Maybe we'll go see Jinora, Ikki, Meelo, and Naga tomorrow."

He gave Pabu a pat and then left the room to take his place, balled up on the worn, tattered sofa in the living room.

He'd lay awake for hours.


	2. Chapter 2

****Hello dear readers, it's me again. Bringing out the fanfics in a long while, because I was bored-yup, that's me! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this LoK fanfic I've got going...Because even though I love to write..A LOT...I ship Makorra (SO HARD) and I can't believe I chose Korra to die. (What is wrong with me?) And as always, don't be afraid to review my stories! I read them all, and really appreciate them! Thanks so much! (: **Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters, ideas, etc. belong to the fabulous creators of the Legend of Korra fandom.** ****

Chapter Two:

Bolin awoke just as a beam of crystalline golden sunlight reached the span of his emerald green eyes. He blinked awake, trying to rub away the heavy bags under his eyes.

Judging by the clock on the wall, he only got a good three hours' worth of sleep.

Bolin yawned, "Get what you can get, I guess. Mako?" he stretched, yawning again, "Mako?" He got up off the couch and walked over to the door of his brother's room. He peered in, through a tiny crack between the door frame and the door itself, the door giving in with a loud unoiled creak. Bolin winced.

Mako didn't react…if he was there, in his usual spot, on the edge of the bed, turned away from the door; watching the world outside the window. Bolin relaxed and pushed the door in. Empty. Except for the dust piled on every available surface, the month-old bed sheets, and the nightstand next to the bed with a broken drawer handle. Empty.

Bolin exhaled, his head dipping down so his chin would rest on his chest.

Then, Bolin's ears were filled with the half-purring, half-chirping sounds of a creature he knew all too well, and he turned to see Pabu sitting in the doorway to his room.

Pabu sat on his hind legs, blinking his dark beady eyes up curiously at Bolin. Then he picked a small furry front paw off the ground, licked it, and scratched a twitching, itching ear. He stopped, set his paw back on the floor, and then looked back at Bolin. Pabu made another noise, his head tipping to the side.

"Hey buddy, you hungry?" Bolin walked into the undersized kitchen and reheated the cold pot of noodles on the stove.

Pabu pranced in, his ringed tail bobbing.

After the noodles were done, Bolin got down two bowls (one smaller than the other) from the cabinet beside the sink. He filled both bowls to the brim with noodles and then set the bigger of the two in front of the fire ferret.

"Here ya go. After you're done, we can go to Air Temple Island and pay everyone a visit, okay?"

Pabu answered with a swish of his tail and the scarfing down of his watertribe noodles. No doubt about it, he couldn't wait to see Naga.

Bolin doubted he even noticed Korra's absence. Not that it mattered. Bolin didn't expect him to notice.

They ate in silence. Well, Bo did—Pabu chattered contently as he gobbled down his food.

After they finished, Pabu found his place hooked around Bolin's neck, and they set on their way. Down the main streets, the earthbender strolled, avoiding those bustling laborers on their way to a place everyone knew they didn't want to be. Feeling sort of brave this morning, and wanting to escape the hustle of the city's streets, he took shortcuts through the allies.

Pabu's tail wrapped around his neck, insulating it with his fluffy coat as Bo walked on. He kicked at the rocks and pebbles in the street, his hands deep in his pockets and his eyes watching the rocks closely as they succumbed to the force of his foot and flew a few feet ahead. There, they waited to be kicked again.

It went on like this, Bolin was mute, only listening to the now distant seeming honks and beeps and screeches from all the impatient Sato Mobile drivers demanding the road. He approached the dock just outside the city.

Here, the atmosphere seemed more peaceful and somewhat at ease. No one bickering at each other through the windows of their automobiles. No amplified words of rival traders haggling over goods. No fighting.

_As it should be, _he thought to himself.

It was then when Bolin noticed a ferry towards the end of the dock, the water lapping hungrily up the sides of the boat and up the wood of the pier. It rang its bell, the sound echoing over the harbor. It was about to leave for the island.

Boling yelled, "Wait!" and sprinted for the boat. His footsteps were heavy upon the wooden boards, each one stating that fact with a prominent _thud._

When he got there, a man in a hat turned around, a hand on the steering wheel. "Need a ride? All I'm takin' over there is feed for them furry flying beasts. So I won't charge ya."

"Yes. Thanks," Bolin stepped into the boat. With a spitting _whrrr_ and a cough from the engine, they sailed to the island.

Arriving on the shore of Air Temple Island, Bolin paid thanks to the driver again and walked the path up to the temple. He passed men in blue and white uniforms, who were patrolling the island. Some knew Bolin and said 'hello', others of the White Lotus only nodded their greetings. He waved and smiled in return to each of the members, and passed some air acolytes in the courtyard.

Almost at the door, Bolin expected the airbending kids to swoop down on him on their gliders, but instead he got tackled to the ground. It was a brute, friendly force he knew anywhere—he didn't even need to wait for a thousand slobbery licks to his face and hair.

"Hey Naga!" he laughed, rubbing his hands through the polar bear dog's fur as she continued to lick his face, her tail wagging gleefully excited-like. "Naga!" he laughed again, "Okay Naga, enough," more giggles followed and then Naga finally stopped.

He opened his eyes once again to see Naga sitting on her rump, licking her chops happily, with Pabu sitting high-and-mighty on top of her head. Naga's slimy tongue dropped out of her mouth and she began panting as Pabu chattered.

"Bolin! Bolin! Bolin!" Ikki's high-pitched voice came first, then the rush of wind as she flew down from the temple. She landed before him, her red glider folding closed.

Meelo and Jinora followed close behind her.

"Hey Bolin!" Jinora greeted him with a squishing hug. He always felt like a big brother to her, him and Mako both.

"Hey Jinora. How's the baby and your parents?"

"We're just fine, Bolin," the deep, experienced voice of the airbending master reached Bolin's ears. "Coping," he added calmly.

Tenzin and Pema stood under the walkway that bordered the courtyard. Pema cradled a tiny Rohan in her arms. Her smile was soft as she gazed down at her newest child and then as she glanced up at Bolin.

"Everyone but Mako seems to be coping…" Bolin stated in a low voice, as Jinora slackened her hold on his side.

"I'm not coping!" Meelo chimed in, rubbing his runny nose with his little hand. He grinned goofily at Bo and his family.

"Everyone except Mako and Meelo," he corrected.

"Mako is missing again?" Tenzin questioned, a shadow of worry crossing his middle-aged face. Pema's eyebrows knotted and she frowned, her eyes flashed with the same feeling of worry.

Bolin nodded solemnly. He felt the arms of two more airbending kids wrap around him, trying to comfort. He smiled sadly.

"How long this time?" Tenzin appeared before Bolin. Ikki let go of Bolin, reached up towards her father, and he hoisted her up and held her as Ikki gripped his neck tightly.

"Just last night so far."

Tenzin nodded, glancing to the side a moment. "If he doesn't appear tonight, I'll ask Lin to put the metal benders on the streets in search. Before then, we can only wait."

Bolin hated the fact that they had to wait at least twenty four hours before the police could help. Yet he knew everyone was just as worried as he was, and would do something—anything—if they could. And he loved them for it.

Pema asked, "Bolin, would you like to come inside? We were in the middle of having breakfast." Her kind voice was inviting, and even though he had already eaten, he accepted the offer.

He followed the airbending family inside after staying to watch Naga and Pabu run off together towards the coast of the island.


	3. Chapter 3

****Hello again, and here is the latest update of It'll Be the Death of Me. Let me tell you, this is painful for me to write...Makorra is like MY ship. And it's like getting struck with lightning every time I write about Mako/Korra getting hurt in any way, shape, or fashion. Anyway. I hope you enjoy this, and Please review! All are appreciated. Thanks! Updating soon!****

Chapter Three:

After his stomach was full and he had a nice medley of conversations with Tenzin's family, the tune of the soft jazz music that played during the meal abruptly halted. In its place, a news person announced that two people were found dead in an alleyway in the backward part of downtown.

Tenzin got up out of his seat to turn up the volume.

"_Futher investigation proves that the victims were two of the many remaining Equalists, as they were found with electrocution gloves as well as other Equalist equipment on hand. We have no leads as to who attacked them, so if anyone has any information please contact Chief Beifong." _The interruption ended and the jazz music then took over once again.

Tenzin switched it off. The dial clicked. "Ever since Korra passed, these occurrences have appeared all around the city. More and more lately, it seems," he said.

Patting Rohan on the back and bouncing him lightly, Pema added, "Lin's got it covered. She took back her place as Chief for a reason."

Tenzin nodded his agreement.

"Yeah, that woman's tougher than the metal she bends. Well, I think I'll go now. Thanks family for the great breakfast," Bolin rose to his feet.

Ikki, Jinora, and Meelo all spoke their retorts, each one interjecting their five cents in on why he should stay. Ikki giddily explaining her reasons, Jinora over her latest paperback, and Meelo through a full mouth of dumplings.

Tenzin, a naturally understanding man, looked at Bolin, measuring him. He saw worry within the young earthbender's eyes, and knew. "Come kids, it's time for Bolin to go."

"Aw!" a whine of unison escaped the three mouths of the three airbending children.

"Bye Bolin!" madly giggled Meelo as he balanced carefully around him several times on his ball of air, and then air-scootered away.

Jinora and Ikki gave him another hug. Ikki pouted.

"Hey I'll be back. Next time, I'll bring Mako."

Jinora smiled, bringing her hands together in a clasp. "Oooo. That'll be fun. We can throw him a "Welcome Home" party. Because he hasn't been here for months!"

"Yeah," Bolin said, "I'm sure he'll like it."

Tenzin walked to stand aside his oldest daughter, placed a hand on her shoulder, a subtle warning, and then turned to Bolin. "You sure, you'll be okay until Mako returns? Our offer still stands for you both to live here on the island."

"I'm sure. Thanks for everything. I'm sure Mako'll come around, sooner or later."

"Yes…" Tenzin trailed off, immersed in thought, "Well, take care. Come back any time."

Bolin said his goodbyes to the family one last time. Then Bolin left with Pabu scampering off close behind him.

Back at their dismal apartment, Bolin exhaled a breath, long awaiting to be sighed. This one action explaining his every crumpled emotion he harbored at this very moment.

Confusement at why Mako chose to move back into the city after Korra died.

Madness at himself and his inability to help his grieving brother.

Loneliness for every time Mako left.

Curiosity at _where_ he went.

Abandonment—lost without Mako.

But first and foremost: Anger. Anger in Mako's direction for everything. For leaving him without a solid promised word of return. For breaking down beyond compare after Korra died. For never telling him _how _she died. He didn't tell anyone! Even the airbenders didn't know! How could they not put up a fuss as much as Bolin wanted to? And of course, Korra's death was widely known. The radio broadcasts, the newspaper: It was the headline for weeks. The daily paper went over the subject, but it was very simple and oddly vague—everyone doubted the little information it did give. But Mako didn't utter a _word_ on the subject.

Not how he and Korra ended up bleeding in the middle of a street, Korra entangled in his arms. How when the authorities showed and the news men showed, he didn't let a word escape his lips on the subject. He didn't say anything. Much like now, Bolin often thought to himself. Except he knew then, the reason Mako didn't speak was because it would only cause him more pain to talk of something so horrible that happened to someone he loved so dearly.

That didn't stop Bolin from his wave of heated anger. Everything about Mako these past four months drove him _mad._ Absolutely _mad._

Especially Mako's godforsaken room. Out of the upmost furiosity, Bolin stormed into his older brother's room with a rag and set to work in a whirling frenzy, cleaning out his feelings.

Once every surface of the room was clean and dust free, he yanked off the grimy bed sheets and washed them roughly in the kitchen sink, slinging water every which way, and placed them back on Mako's bed.

For a moment, he felt relieved, calm, no longer wanting to punch a wall, relaxed—no longer angry at Mako and the world. For one moment, he was fine.

Then his eyes came across the nightstand next to Mako's bed. The top drawer still had a broken handle. Well, a missing handle—just two sad holes where the handle used to be anchored…

His madness reawakened, Bolin stomped over to the piece of furniture, examined the drawer's front side and the handle on the lower drawer. With a huff and a pout, Bolin's mind was instantly bombarded with an idea.

Bolin steamed back out of the room, through the living area, and out into the street, so concentrated and determined, he didn't even notice he left the door widely ajar. Scanning the street, he spotted an alley on the edge of the block and headed there. Pabu sat guard in the door, blinking after Bolin as he went down the sidewalk into the alleyway.

Once reaching the shadowy, other-worldly, inside of the alley, Bolin scanned the ground, his eyes darting from the tossed take-out boxes, old shoes long forgotten, to the many other miscellaneous objects, until he zoned in on his target.

Picking up the solid chunk of rock about the size of a softball, Bolin gave it a toss, examining it closely like some precious jewel.

"Seems good enough," he said to himself as he threw it high up into the air once again. In the moments it took to fall back down to the concrete, Bolin took his stance, spread his arms, and then gradually formed firm fists with his hands as he brought his arms together in front of his chest. In a blink of an eye, he lashed out and caught the rock in his hand and examined it one last time.

The heavy, nicely-sized rock was now condensed into the simple shape of the drawer's handle. An exact copy of the other one…minus the fact that it _was_ rock and the other was metal—brass probably.

Bolin took the handle back to Mako's room, where he fixed the handle into the slots on the top drawer. After settling it in its place, he tested it out, jingling it up and down for flexibility, and then pulled it towards him.

In that instant, the drawer flew out and slid, toppling over the floor across the room.

As the box tumbled- and Bolin winced at the sounds, therefore failing to see where it landed-his ears became acutely aware of a second sound. A small object hit the floor close to the box, sounding vaguely like metal money hitting wood, and then the object (still sounding like a coin) rolled on its thin side in wide circles. Each complete 360 it made it got smaller and tighter, until it finally gave in and flipped on its back.

Aware of the unknown object across the room now, he also came to notice something clasped tightly in between his palm and fingers. Bolin looked down at the handle in his hand. It was now chipped on the edge where it was meant to latch to the bed stand. Sometimes he underestimated his own strength.

Taking his focus from the shaped rock in his hand, he noticed a glint of blue in the corner of his eye. The flash of blue was hard to miss…

He walked towards the object that was lying unmoving on the ground…it was only waiting for him to finally realize just what it was.

Bolin bent down, reaching out to it, his mind not fully understanding—not fully grasping the extremity that this object was. His hand enveloped the object as he moved to sit on the ground before the drawer. Crossing his legs, he knew the drawer was unimportant to him now.

The object before him was beautiful, yet simple—he cord that was meant to rest around the neck of the wearer was a shiny blue satin ribbon. At the end of it, a clasp of course, but that wasn't what caused Bolin's eyes to quadruple in size.

The pendant had an intricately detailed design; flames from a fire at the base wrapped into themselves as they melded with the currents of fire's polar opposite: water (which came down from the top of the pendant, like a waterfall). The flames and water mingled, wrapping together, mixing.

Bolin was shocked into silence. No words could describe the thoughts that ran through his head and the feelings he felt then.

This was a watertribe betrothal necklace.


	4. Chapter 4

****More to come soon and please review! (: ****

Chapter 4:

Bolin closed his fingers over the pendant and bent his head. Tears of all sizes formed in the corners of his eyes, swelling over his pupils and blurring his vision. A few fell from his eyes and trailed moist ribbons down his face. Two of them landed one after the other on his closed hand.

He wondered if this is what it felt like when your heart breaks, because he really _felt _his heart ripping…tearing from the hurt.

"I didn't want to break the tradition," a low voice said.

Bolin wiped his face, sniffing loudly, "W-what?"

Mako came nearer his brother. His face blank—clear of all emotion, but his eyes were downcast, the grey clouds of painful remembrance entering them. "Tradition. I wasn't going to break what she grew up with and buy a ring."

"How l-long did it take you to m-make?" Bolin stuttered through tears and the raw scratching of a hoarse throat.

"Two months," Mako offered, pulling his hand from his pocket.

"When were you-?" Bolin's throat hurt worse now with every passing moment, like someone was rubbing sand paper on his vocal cords from the inside. He caught himself up on the last bits of his sentence, choking, so what he did end up producing only sounded like it came from some unknown language.

But Mako understood. He was silent for what seemed to be decades. His face still gave through no emotion and Bolin wondered fiercely how that could be. But Mako stared on, looking at the ground next to Bolin and only blinking after a while. It seemed as if he was stuck someplace other than where he actually was.

His stoic and brooding personality came to life in the longest time that either of them could remember. "It doesn't matter. She's gone."

And then, it was no more.

For one moment, Bo caught a glimpse of the real Mako. For one moment he had his brother again. For one moment, there was _hope._

"It does matter Mako. What happened with Korra? What happened that night you were together? You can't just not tell anyone, Mako. It—"

"She died. It's as simple as that." Mako bent over and seized the necklace from his brother's hand. For a minute, he gazed at it, stroking its ribbon with his fingers and traced the carved lines within the pendant.

Then he shoved it in his jacket pocket as if it were worth nothing to him. He made for the door, his jacket whirling around him as he sped on.

Mako's hand on the door, Bolin spoke louder, almost shouting, "Mako, you can't leave. I know you're hurting bro, but everyone else is too! Tenzin, Asami, Lin, the airbending kids—and me, Mako. I'm hurting too. I miss Korra beyond what you can imagine. I think about her every day and where we would be with her still here," Bolin sniffed, out of breath. He caught it once again, "I know you love her, but we do, too. If Korra were here, she wouldn't want to see you like this. Please Mako. Stay. We miss you. I miss you."

Mako heard his brother's pleading words, but didn't move to face him. So he stood with his back towards Bolin' and his hand resting on the knob, even though he made no move to open the door.

Bolin failed to see if his words had any impact on his brother. He wished desperately to anyone that they did.

Mako lowered his head, closing his eyes and gripping the door handle as if his life depended on it. "I can't," he murmured.

The next moment, he was gone.

Leaving Bolin to weep where he sat on the floor.

Alone.

"Not this time," Bolin said after a while, wiping his face with his hand, clearing away his tears.

He picked himself up off the ground and dashed for the door. Pabu quickly saw his chance and grabbed at his owner, latching onto Bolin's shoulder as he shut the door.

Bolin searched the streets. Mako couldn't be seen for miles. Crowds of people, Sato Mobiles, and the occasional pet, obscured his vision, thus making his efforts to find Mako futile.

Bolin lowered his head in disappointed thought, "What I'd give to have Naga right now."

Pabu chattered as if he agreed.

"If I were Mako, where would I be?" Bolin walked down the street, pondering this question until he reached the end. He stood there on the corner, his hand brought up under his chin, still thinking.

"I can't really trust where he _could_ be, considering everything reminding him of Korra breaks him down even more…So it has to be random. Maybe someplace we never went. So that'd automatically rule out the bending arena, and…Air Temple Island…" Bolin exhaled, "Gosh, I feel so dumb right now. That's why he wanted to move back here."

Pabu made clicking noises.

"Yeah, I know. It's the least of our worries right now. Thanks, buddy," Bolin scratched Pabu's ears, "I guess we should just start here and make our way to the beach. Ask around a bit," Bolin started on, not sure if he should feel confident about finding Mako.

Either way, he wasn't going to stop until he found him.


	5. Chapter 5

****Hello again! Here's the latest addition! Please feel free to review, I encourage and greatly appreciated them! Enjoy! (: ****

Chapter 5:

It was well after dinner time when Bolin came to a bench near the edge of the water. The sun had vanished from the sky for at least two hours now, and the street lamps' halo-like light took its place and illuminated the city in a soft glow.

Bolin shlumped down into the bench, every joint in his body aching with torture. Every muscle screaming bloody murder and every bone moaned grouchily. He had searched the city top to bottom, left to right, upside down to inside out. He asked each vender, store clerk, and kid playing on the street if they'd seen Mako.

None of them had of course, and after trekking the city all over, Bolin felt like he was in a labyrinth—every twist and turn more alien-like than the last. He couldn't remember the places and streets he'd already been, much less the names. His brain was muddled—fried by now, so he knew he couldn't depend on that to help him find his brother any longer.

Bolin had to keep looking, but he was too exhausted to move—even his eyes were heavy from the over extensive labor his body endured. Maybe Mako went back to the apartment…

Suddenly Pabu went rigid, his tail high over his back as he hissed into the shadows behind Bolin.

Bolin swiveled in the bench, rubbing a hand over Pabu's fur to calm him as he squinted between the two buildings in front of him.

The street lights gave little to nothing in terms of help—everything was drowning in the shadows. Just the harsh outlines and silhouettes of dumpsters, boxes, and wait a minute…

Bolin tightened his grip on the brim of the bench and hoisted himself up, looking harder into the dark alley. Pabu hissed again and he quieted him with a curious, short 'shh'. Bolin jumped over the back of the bench and hid behind a Sato Mobile that was parked on the edge of the street closest to him.

Peeping over the edge of the hood, he saw the shadow of a man slinking across a wall of one of the buildings. Bolin watched as the silhouette pressed itself against the brick wall, walked a few paces, hid, and walked a few more.

Bolin grew increasingly curious, suspicious, as he watched. He quickly ducked when he saw the shadow turn and check behind him—for a moment Bo thought he'd been caught and his heart skipped a beat. But then he heard the sound of someone on wet cement and then the smashing sound that glass made when it was dropped.

Bolin cautiously peeked over the hood of the automobile again. The shadow was gone!

Curiosity and wonderment took a firmer grip on Bolin as he squelched the little bit of fear he bottled up inside. Maybe it was Mako. Maybe it wasn't.

Running like a mad man, he sprinted for the alley. Ducking behind boxes, he searched for any sign of the other, unnamed person, and then he, just like the shadow man, slinked across the wall. He didn't exactly know where he was going, or why, or what made the thought of it being necessary to do this pop into his head. He got his answer when he stepped in a puddle. He knew because it made that weird slapping noise when he set his foot down.

Bolin recalled the noise he heard earlier and looked around, squinting in the darkness. When his eyes adjusted to the lack of light, he saw by his feet was a window…and a broken glass bottle.

He knelt down on the ground and checked to see if the window would budge. No doubt it would lead into the basement of the abandoned noodle shop. After a moment of quiet, alert jingling of the window, it gave free willingly and flipped inwardly.

Bolin turned to his small furry companion and clicked his teeth together in the language he'd made up for communications with Pabu. Immediately the fire ferret reacted and silently leapt into the opening and Bolin followed, knowing there was no turning back.

Squeezing through the opening, Bolin struggled to find ground, but when he did, he touched down quietly, yet clumsily. Waving his arms in silent panic, he gained back his balance and let out a relieved "_Phew."_

Simultaneously, there was a click and a light switched on in the center of the room.

"Oh boy," Bolin muttered, getting very scared very fast. A queasy feeling in his stomach forming, "Why do I get myself into these situations?"

He glanced back up, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. A sloppy, fidgety grin flickered onto his face.

Standing in front of him: a group of masked Equalists—six, seven…maybe ten all together.

One held a struggling Pabu trapped in a closed fist. He chattered angrily, refusing this predicament a hundred times over.

Bolin finally came to a stop, realizing what was coming to him was inevitable. Bolin made up his mind and produced chattering noises with his mouth, and for a moment Pabu was as still as the (slightly confused) Equalists.

A loud, "_OW!"_ was all Bolin waited for. In a flash, Bolin's foot stomped on the ground, sending a block of earth rocketing through the floor to smash the light on the ceiling.

It was instantly black.

Bolin ducked, hearing the almost inaudible movements of the Equalists as they punched the air above him. He tripped two and bent the earth around him to catapult them into the ceiling, making a nice earth-equalist sandwich over his head.

When he felt a rock-hard fist punch his side in repeated, deliberate motions, he backed away almost staggering, and swung his other hand out in the open air, sending more earth into the dark. He heard the collision of rock and something softer against the far wall and he knew only three, altogether, were down.

Seven more to go. But with only one arm—he had to be especially careful now.

Relying on the minimal sounds and shuffling the excellently trained Equalists made, he shot rocks blindly in every direction. He moved around, never staying in one place longer than he needed to be and continued to fight without his most critical weapon. Sight (oh, and his arm).

Out of the blue, fire lit up the room in a brief, but bright glow. Bolin stared all seven remaining Equalists in the face, their goggles momentarily shining as they eerily stepped nearer Bolin.

He bent out more chunks of earth, hitting two more. Then he raised a rock wall, blocking the electric charge from a glove in one's hand. Fire sailed over his head in glorious arcs of heat and light. More heat, light, and flame as they fought in the semi-darkness.

Bolin feared looking at his partner in battle or even speaking any words of gratitude, for fear of giving away his position when everyone was bathed in inky nothingness. He guessed the other fighter thought and felt the same way for he…or she…was mute as well.

The fighting went on in a flurry frenzy of rock, fire, electricity, and martial arts moves. The only sounds heard were ear splitting crashing ones.

Suddenly, Bolin was down on his back. He had been swept off his feet and was now pinned against the ground, his arms immovable.

Bolin struggled under the weight, gasping.

He was then electrocuted on the spot, without any way of defense. He let out agonizing sounds of pain, his every muscle and nerve petrified into submission. His body frozen under the extremely intense stinging. He was paralyzed for what seemed to be an eternity; his only sign of life was his mouth—open in yells of suffering affliction, "Ahhh! Ahh..!"

All he remembered was the pain—the shock, the claws of electricity masking him freeze into paralysis and the bright light from the glove over his midsection… and the eyes of the Equalist as he stared down into Bolin's horrified eyes.

And then a helpless screamed reached his failing ears, "Bolin!" An enraged yell came next, nearly sounding like a completely different person, "_NO!"_

Bolin then, in a state much like being numb, slowly blacked out—his vision blurry—seeing yellow flames and lightning fly…rough silhouettes…

And then…

Nothing.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Bolin awoke on an uncomfortable hard wooden bench. He blinked out at the ocean and the sun that was barely noticeable above the horizon. The orb bathed the bay in a blend of orange, yellow, red, pink, and purple tinges of the colors—melding together like a painting. The waves on the shore were soothing, creeping up the banks of the bay. The sea breeze accompanied the waters and it combed through his hair like a lost lover, the sea-salty smell waking him up like a punch in the face.

Great. That answered that question as to where he was.

Now, _how_ did he get here? Where were the Equalists?

Bolin sat up and rubbed his aching head and neck. "Ugh. It feels like I just got hit by a Mega Tank."

He felt a blanket slide off his knees and bent over to retrieve the old tattered cloth. Then he noticed Pabu by his feet and saw the fire ferret unharmed and unphased in every way possible, snoozing away like he was on vacation. Until of course, his little head bobbed up at Bo and he made a sort of purring noise deep in his throat.

"Pabu, please tell me that was a dream and this headache is because I haven't had dinner or breakfast." He set the bundle of blankets next to him in the seat. Pabu chattered and jumped up into the folds of the blanket. Bolin stroked his fur.

"It wasn't," Mako's voice suddenly becomes audible from behind Bolin.

Bolin turned to face him, extinguishing his earlier thoughts of being alone again.

Mako was leaning nonchalantly against a lamp post, both his hands deep in his coat pockets. Mako's face didn't let forth any emotion as he gazed down at his feet. Then, rubbing his hair on the back of his head, he made his way over to Bolin, clearing the scene behind them.

He was in the same bench as the night before—the abandoned buildings like squatting ducks and the alley full of discarded trash were all there, staring him in the face.

Mako sat next to his brother, a satisfying Pabu buried between them. They were silent for many moments, even Pabu, as is they were lost in time—sorting their many scattered thoughts.

"Bo," Mako began, his mouth barely moving.

Bolin unclasped his hands and met his brother's golden eyes. He saw—or rather, felt Mako's urge to protect Bolin within the rings of shining yellow…to keep him safe, as it was his responsibility ever since their parents were killed.

Bolin exhaled, waiting for a slurry of mad questions to be thrown his way in a rushed wave of unsaid words.

"What were you thinking—taking on all those guys all by yourself? You could've been killed! It's a wonder you're not dead now!"

That last comment threw Bolin back a few paces. It hurt him, even more than spending his nights by his lonesome, but he knew Mako only spoke out of emotion and fear of the chance he might have lost a brother, too.

"I didn't know they were Equalists!" Bolin insisted, "I didn't know what to think when I followed one of them in there. And hey, you have a lot of answering to do too—" He saw Mako glance away, tensing.

"—like, what were _you_ doing there? You weren't supposed to be there any more than I was."

Bolin knew he had a point. He knew he was right. He knew today, for once he played the part of the big brother…and it scared him deeply, to have to play this part. But he was going to do it, and he was going to do it right.

Mako closed his eyes, sighing like he knew something inevitably _bad _was about to take place. And yet, he kept quiet, not uttering a single word. Just like when he left Bolin the many, many nights since Korra passed.

Bolin pressed him harder for answers. He wasn't going to give in until Mako finally told him everything.

But even he wasn't ready for such a blow.

"Common Mako. You and I both know that you are not telling me something crucial here. Why were you there when the Equalists attacked?"

Finally, Mako showed fallibility—his dents in his emotions, his being, his character, his _weakness_ when at long last…he told his side of the story.

"I was hunting the Equalists," Mako said flatly, as if it had no meaning.

"Why?"

"Remember that last day with Korra here when I told you we were going out together that night?" he waited for Bolin to acknowledge with a nod before continuing, "Well, we'd been on many better dates before, but this time she just wanted to talk and walk through the city. It was fine with me of course—she was beautiful. Her hair was down and it fell past her shoulders. Her dress was simple but it made me crazy for her—and her eyes, man," he paused a moment, seeming almost happy for a while, "they were even more beautiful than the day before…" Mako cleared his throat, sounding embarrassed as a slight red tinge claimed his cheeks.

"Anyway, she wanted to go downtown and Korra being Korra, she dragged me by my scarf behind her. We were laughing, kissing, and goofing around. We weren't even paying attention." He stopped, choking on his words.

Bolin picked up Pabu in his arms and squeezed him tight towards his chest, ready for the climax of the story. He looked like a five year old preparing for story time more than anything. Pabu didn't even mind, too, he just sat there enjoying the crushing attention.

"That's when we were ambushed," Mako made it simple for Bolin to comprehend, his face going hard.

It was a beautiful Saturday night when Mako and Korra were strolling the main street together. Mako had his arm gently hooked around Korra's curvy waist, holding her to him as they walked side-by-side, hip-to-hip, and her head resting comfortably on his shoulder.

The crisp air surrounded the peaceful couple as they walked towards the fiery colors of the setting sun, watching as they melted like oil into a moonlit, star-studded canvas.

Korra shuddered, "You know, I'm begging to rethink this dress," she remarked.

Mako smirked. He loved the way she looked. She wore a pretty blue casual dress that accented every curve her body borne—it drove Mako completely wolfbat crazy. He could literally feel the hormones stirring every time he drank her in…which was a lot more often than you would think. Her hair only added onto his lovesick frenzy; it was long and drawn down in soft locks by her shoulders, adding intensity to her collarbone and strong, able shoulders. She just seemed so _feminine _and even though Mako loved everything she wore on any occasion, tonight he especially loved it.

"Well, I think you look beautiful in that dress," Mako said, tipping his head slightly towards her. "We'll be at the restaurant soon, would you like my jacket?" Mako offered willingly. He would battle the cold if it meant keeping his Avatar warm.

"Can we not go out to eat tonight? I actually just want to walk around."

Mako didn't mind at all. "Of course, but where to?" he asked, slipping off his nice tailored jacket. He placed it across her shoulders.

She gladly took it, wrapping it tighter around her as Mako placed his arm around her waist again.

"Oh, nowhere in particular," she answered.

"Are you sure? I thought you were always hungry."

Korra giggled, smiling, the corners of her eyes crinkling with loving glee, "Common City Boy." She grabbed ahold of his crimson scarf and dragged him along after her.

He chuckled teasingly as she took him down the lane and then he spun out of his scarf. Still spinning, he grabbed Korra in his arms, and scooped her up off her feet. "Gotchya," he smiled, mocking playfully.

"Are you sure?" Korra glanced at him slyly, waving the red scarf. She wrapped it around his neck, pulling him closer and kissing him full on the lips.

Passion sparked and they each poured their love and lust into that kiss, Korra's hands reaching around Mako's neck, her fingers combing his hair and Mako's arms closing more on her, a certain yearning in his movements. In both their movements.

"Oh how sweet," an unknown ominous voice said.

Korra was the first to break away, leaving Mako hypnotized and wanting more.

All seriousness rose into Korra as she said, "Mako. We have company."

Mako set Korra down, his hands rising, forming fists as he breathed calmly, deeply.

Korra tipped her chin up, standing taller as she, too, formed fists at her sides. "What do you want?"

The mob of Equalists just stared back, unmoving. Their masks only shadows and their goggles only a glint in the lamplight. Finally, one spoke, "Amon was right. You benders oppress us and use your gifts against us."

"Hey!" Korra's voice gained volume, her pointer finger flying up at the Equalist who had spoken, "Amon was a bender too! And he used _his_ powers to harm innocent people!"

"However true that is, Amon did have the right idea. Equality is the answer. He just wasn't the solution."

"What do you mean?" Korra huffed.

Equalists enclosed them. Mako and Korra stood back-to-back, Mako getting very nervous—but determined, if what he suspected was true. _They would not take Korra._

"You know very much what is means Avatar Korra."

Equalists from all sides jumped at them, drawing their gloves level and raising their electrified kali sticks. Sparks of pure burning power sizzled in the torture devices.

Korra and Mako responded with flowering flames sprouting from their hands. They were not scared of these Equalists and least of all, Korra, who braved them with fire, air, and earth bending in swift motions, her dress and hair flailing madly as she kicked, punched, and flipped, dodging the electricity flying at her from every angle.

Mako, on the other hand, was only scared for Korra. He knew she could get a bit arrogant while fighting and even though is hadn't affected her yet, he hoped tonight was not the night as he redirected lightning from a kali stick and struck another Equalist down. Fire erupted from him and engulfed the two benders in a wall of fire. Heat encircled them, allowing them a second to catch a quick breath.

Korra leapt through the wall of flames as it dissipated, blasting a tube of wind at her foe. Then she did it again, her arms making pinwheel motions at more Equalists. Blocks of earth rose. Fire illuminated the scene. Air swept through it just the same. Earth. Fire. Air.

The couple in everyday normality, and now in bending, faced their enemies as the two sides of a Yuan coin. Their movements matching, coursing, flowing, _working_ as one. Equalists one-by-one began dropping like flies.

During the course of the fight, they both managed to escape the grasping, menacing shocks of the electricity from the gloves and sticks. However, without noticing, the benders wandered a ways away from each other, a wall of Equalists around each of them in the mad speed and precision of the battle between bender and equalizer. Between good and evil.

Only tonight, the good would suffer the loss greater than any other.

Suddenly Korra's mouth opened in unexpected pain, "Ah!" She froze on the spot, every muscles freezing, clenching as volts of hungry electricity course through her.

"Korra!" Mako screamed, his heart racing. A sort of rabidness overcame him like a curse and he hastily, furiously, fought off and killed the Equalists which surrounded him at that moment.

Unknowing, as his back was to Korra's scene now, Korra suddenly went still, the branches of lightning still grazing her body as if nothing happened. Instantly, her eyes went aglow, luminous and bright with raw Avatar power.

The Avatar state kicked in and she picked the remaining Equalists off with her bending—now more powerful in the ways of pure Avatar force.

Behind her, downed Equalist, barely capable of moving, undid a clasp of his jacket and removed a kali stick. This one, however, was different. It had a blade welded into the tip—the deadly metal was meant to pierce, tear, _kill._ In the Equalist's last movements of life, arms of electricity brought the kali stick to life and it soon sailed, rotating through the air until it found its home in the Avatar's back.

The Avatar dropped instantly, colliding hard with asphalt.

Mako screamed, his worst nightmare come true. A yell of absolute vengeance escaped as fire burst from his fists.

The fire rocketed over Korra at the remaining pair of Equalists. It never found its target, for the last of them saw it their time to escape.

Mako never saw where they ran, as all he could process was Korra lying motionless on the ground before him. And that stick in her back—blood, so much blood.

"Korra!" Mako ran to her side and dropped hard onto his knees. His hand shook as he reached for her; he slid her onto him, taking extra care near the kali stick and her head.

"Korra. Korra. Korra." There was so much blood. The scrapes on her face and her busted lip were nothing in comparison. Her midsection was completely soaked in the deep red, sticky substance—the tip of the bladed kali stick protruding through the middle of her abdomen, the center of the pool of blood.

"Korra, open your eyes. Korra, Korra, listen to me. Open your eyes," Mako ordered frantically. His hands traveled the contours of her face, removing the blood soaked bunches of her hair from her eyes and rubbing away the blood on her chin with his thumb.

"Please Korra," Mako pleaded desperately, his head nearing hers, their foreheads touching. His voice a whisper as he wrapped her into him, "Korra I love you." Tears landed on her closed eyelids and red stained cheeks.

He lie against her for moments in an eternity. He wanted Korra to open her eyes more than he wanted to breathe at this very moment. He'd give anything to have her back. He would give his heart to make hers beat.

Accepting her death grimly, he lifted himself from her body. He was covered in blood that was not his own and his face was moist with water now, but that didn't matter. Regret, responsibility, hatred, remorse, love, and furiosity, all bubbled like scalding water within Mako.

In a flash, he pulled the kali stick out of Korra's stomach and snapped in two pieces, gripping them both tightly in his hand. He stared at them, the loathing burning in his eyes. The kali stick gradually lighting up with a heated glow—the red hot metal burning into Mako's glove and burying into his skin as the kali stick melted into a disfigured, contorted rod incapable of recognition.

He let it go and it clanged on the ground, splitting the silence in the still air around him.

He looked back down to Korra once the deed was done. Her eyes were open but without pupils. Avatar State.

"Korra? Korra," Mako repeated, unbelieving, shock, and the upmost happiness reaching his heart.

"Mako." Korra smiled. She seemed ethereal in this condition, almost not herself. Her wounds seemed to shine with the godly light as well, only rings of it within the hole burrowing all the way through her abdomen. "Aang let me say goodbye."

"Don't," Mako's tears found the corners of his eyes. He appeared absolutely lost and pathetic as he pleaded, "Don't go. Don't leave. Don't say goodbye."

"Don't worry Mako, there will be another Avatar. Aang and I will see to it," she promised, a hint of the previous wise Avatars within the pronunciations of her voice, "I love you Mako," she grinned softly, the glow in her midsection disappearing.

Her time was up.

"No, no, don't. Korra. Listen to me, I love you too much." He grasped her hand, bringing it to his face, but she was already gone.

The glow in her eyes faded to pristine blue. Now empty and unseeing.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

A single silver droplet showered silently down Mako's face. His gloved hands made fists, unclenched, rubbed together as if he was contemplating, and then he repeated these motions over. He glanced up at Bolin, clenching and unclenching his jaw as he became acutely aware that he had spaced out while telling his story. Mako hadn't meant to, but the pain was unbearable then and even though it had dimmed like a flame of a melting candle, it still remained; ready to grow with life once again.

"That's why I was there with you. That's why I've been hunting them ever since Korra died. To kill them for killing her."

Bolin had been crying. You could see it in his face. The tears in his eyes, the moist trails down his cheeks, and the bloodshot eyes from the combined efforts of his emotions and bodily functions. "That's the saddest story I have ever heard," he sniffed, sounding like a broken record catching on every other word. He threw his arms around his brother, sobbing harder, "I didn't know—you didn't tell me. I should've known."

"I didn't think I could."

"I'm so sorry bro, I'm so sorry," Bolin buried his face into his brother's shoulder.

"No, I am," Mako replied.

Bolin suddenly quieted, his sobs dispatching into muteness.

"You were right. I should never have left you. I should have helped you through this. I was just too blinded by my love for Korra-I felt lost without her and I failed to see it and I am so sorry. I won't do it again. I promise," He enveloped Bolin into his arms, sealing his oath. As he hugged his brother, he finally felt as if a piece of him was returning, and savoring this long forgotten moment with his brother, he closed his eyes hard, his eyebrows dipping nearer, in efforts to hold onto Bolin. As if he'd let go, Bolin would blow away from him as easily as Korra had.

Bolin was the same in this embrace; grasping onto his brother as if he, at long last gained that last treasure he thought he would never possess again. His eyes were closed just as tight, granting his new, happy tears passage down past his jaw.

"How many did you kill?" Bolin asked, peeling out of his brother and wiping his face with his sleeve.

"I—" Mako blinked, surprised at how he never thought about it," I lost count after seventy," he admitted shamefully , "But it wasn't until after twenty that I realized doing this wouldn't bring her back. It only made me track them down harder."

"They weren't worth it, you know," Bolin said, sounding sob-free and brotherly.

Mako nodded, pain filling his eyes and a tremble in his lip.

"Common Mako, let's get back to the apartment. We—"

"That's another thing," Mako's voice picked up an octave, sounding more like himself as he cut his brother off, "The only reason we moved out here was because I couldn't live and be around anything that made me think of Korra. I'm sorry for that too. I know you loved the Island as much as I did, but I know now it's killing me as much as if would've on the Island- living here."

"I know."

"You do?" Mako asked.

"Yeah, but it's okay. I don't mind living here." He reassured Mako, knowing he truly felt bad about it.

"Oh yeah? Well uh, Bo, I was thinking," he stood up, putting a hand in his pocket and feeling the satin ribbon and pendant within it a moment before saying, "It might not be soon, but I might be able—we could move back to Air Temple Island."

Bolin could tell when his brother _meant _what he was saying. Mako was really _trying._ And trying was Bolin always wanted from him, what he always needed.

Bolin jumped up, hugging his brother again and hopping like an excited five-year-old girl. He giggled like one, too. Talking quickly, he added, "It's okay, it won't have to be soon, but the airbending kids miss you so much and would love it if we came back."

Mako chuckled.

The first sign of a laugh in forever. The first sign of healing.

"Come on Bo, let's get home," he said, picking up Pabu and setting him across his shoulders.

Together, they took the first steps toward moving on.

****There it is, long past due and underdeveloped, in my opinion. I'm sorry, I promise to make up for it in the next chapter (which I'm typing up right now)...Anyways, sorry for the delay and I hoped you enjoyed this. Pleas review!****


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

It had been a little over six years since the passing of Avatar Korra.

Time eventually sealed the bending brothers' wounds and the four nations finally accepted the full truth as to how their beloved Avatar was killed. The truth was known after Mako confessed the whole story, and then again later, when Tenzin announced the truth to the world. Grief swelled like a wave of salty sorrow over the people of the four nations then, and now the hunt was on in the Earth Kingdom for the new Avatar.

News of a little girl, an earthbender, roamed the streets hurling rocks at people and stealing their wares—typically food. Rumors also spread saying she also bent gusts of wind at them as well.

The first time Mako and Bolin heard of this, they were at the old Bending Arena in Republic City discussing the next year's fighting schedule. They were up in the attic: now converted into an office for the new owners of the Bending Arena.

Stairs now led up to the topmost room in the grand structure and upon arriving you would notice that there are two ornate desks fashioned on the opposite sides of the room, a fashionable coil rug between them. An old cooktop remained in the corner, as did the wood board flooring and the fading, chipping walls. They liked the idea of keeping this room as much as it was before, to remind them of their humble beginnings as players in the matches as two-thirds of the Fire Ferrets.

The Fabulous Bending Brothers were both hunched over Mako's desk, dressed in all formal business attire, complete with slicked back hair, and each brother had a hand in their trousers' pockets, shoving aside their suit jacket.

Their assistant, the old prior assistant of the previous Councilman Tarrlok of the United Republic Council, approached them, jittery and afraid of bothering his bosses. "Sirs, Miss Asami Sato is here to see you."

A woman in her mid-twenties marched in as radiant and beautiful as she was in her teenage years. Her dark hair was drawn up into an oriental style bun with two decorated chopsticks sticking out of the top of her head. She wore a frilled blouse and a skinny, slimming pencil skirt. This woman was a being of business, and seeing she now owned Future Industries, it was only fitting she looked the part.

"Hello gentlemen. I see your establishment is doing nicely. Your apartment doesn't seem half-changed however," Asami's eyes flashed as bright as her smile. She knew their reasoning behind not changing the attic too much.

"Hello Asami. How's Iroh?" Mako greeted his friend, as did Bolin shortly thereafter. She held up her left hand, admiring the hefty clean-cut gem on her third finger, "Oh, he's fine. On a mission around the North Pole, I believe. We haven't gotten to sending out any invitations yet, but we're both excited," she beamed half-dreamily, her happiness glowing like a halo around her.

Mako and Bolin nodded their unanimous agreement, knowing the wedding was going to be spectacular.

Bolin asked, setting a stack of papers down, "What brings you here? Is something wrong at the Industries? We have plenty of revenue and tons of profits—we could spare some cash if you're in a bind. It kinda pays to be the owners of the Bending Arena. No pun intended."

"Don't be ridiculous Bo," Mako jumped in, "Future Industries' sales have skyrocketed. She's at the top of her A-game."

Asami grinned. "That's right! Actually, I came on the subject of the Avatar."

Bolin and Mako's attentions were caught immediately. A pressing silence filled the room.

"There have been rumors of a little earthbender girl also bending air at venders and shop keepers in Ba Sing Se, stealing their food. She's roaming the streets all alone, I would think. Iroh told me of it a while back. Some of his men heard the locals gossiping and he came sent me a message on what he heard, but I haven't had the time to tell you in person—as I felt I should."

"Ba Sing Se, you say?" Bolin pouted, rubbing his chin in thought.

Asami nodded once.

Bolin and Asami exchanged thoughts between themselves. Mako was uncharacteristically quiet this whole time.

Ever since sharing the full truth on Korra's death to everyone: Bo, the airbending family, Asami and Iroh, and so on, and giving up on hunting the remaining Equalists, he'd found ways to move on and become himself once again. He and Bolin both. But moving on never meant he had to forget. He thought of Korra every single day since her death…and still does each day he walks through the Arena doors. It didn't hurt or pain him any longer. No, if anything, it made him smile at the memories he would forever keep in his heart.

But hearing about this new Avatar—the earthbender—it opened the scar tissue enough for him to feel things he hadn't felt since the last time he struck an Equalist. Duty. Responsibility. Protect the Avatar.

And suddenly, it all made sense.

"I'm going to go," Mako says.

Asami and Bolin stopped chatting and stared at him, each measuring his words. For moments uncounted they waited, curiously silent as to hear what else Mako had to say. Bolin blinked, realization struck and Asami stood just as still as Bolin, however she was still clueless. Mako remained rooted to the ground in front of them, but based on the distant look in his golden eyes, he wasn't _here._

It was then that Asami knew as well.

Bolin asked, "Where?" He only needed reassurance. To know if Mako really meant his words.

"Ba Sing Se," he answered quickly, coming to.

Bolin nodded once, immersed in wonderment. He knew Mako was serious. He also knew arguing against his brother would only intensify Mako's determination and desire to go to Ba Sing Se. "Alright, I'm going with you," Bolin had made up his mind. And just like his brother, when a decision was made, it was almost futile to persuade him against it.

Mako looked at Bolin appreciatively, knowing they saw eye-to-eye in that moment. Smiling, he turned and asked, "Asami, you mind handling affairs with our Arena while we're gone?"

"Not at all," Asami accepted, appearing glad that they had asked her, "I'll take care of everything. I will have your assistant tell me what I need to know. Take all the time you need."

"Thanks Asami. It means a lot," Mako hugged his long-time friend and ex-lover.

Bolin hugged Asami after, and handed her a ring of shiny keys, tears in his eyes and a tremble on his bottom lip. "Take care of my babies," he sniffed.

Mako rolled his eyes when Asami raised a plucked, model-like eyebrow at him. "He means the keys. He's the almighty—"

Bolin sobbed, "Key bearer!"

Asami chuckled, "Don't worry Bolin, I'll take good care of them."

Bolin smiled goofily, wiping his eye, "Thanks Asami."

"No problem."

"Come on Bo, we have packing to do," Mako started down the stairs.

"I'm coming!" he shouted back, running after his older brother.

And just like the many years before as teenagers, the brother set off on the hunt for the Avatar.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

What would we do once we reached the walls of Ba Sing Se?

Would we actually find the Avatar?

Was she really the Avatar?

And if she was, why was she alone?

All these questions escaped Mako's mind as he and Bolin rode along the tracks leading into the Earth Kingdom capital. These questions fled Bolin as well as he half-nodded-off into a nap.

Both Bolin and Mako were flooding with a childhood ecstasy, their minds racing and their blood pumping so fervently, it could be heard in their ears. Yet they knew with every beat of their pounding hearts and every breath their lungs gave forth, the Avatar was within the towering walls. Somewhere she was waiting. And somewhere, Mako would find her (as he often promised himself). He knew it in his heart.

"I can't wait to try the food. It's gotta be good," Bolin said, lounging on the bench across from his brother, his hands brought up behind his head.

Mako nodded his agreement as he gazed over the landscape through his window. A brief darkness enveloped the train entirely and suddenly they were floating over the hills inside the Outer Ring of Ba Sing Se. It was just beyond midday, the sun was at its high point in the sky, casting warmth and life to the rolling hills of luscious farmland beneath it.

"We could always try a few things…as we search," Mako replied softly, still watching out his window. The fertile lands zipped by and the hills rolled like waves on the ocean. He was entranced by the scenery.

Moments later, they were in the inner ring of Ba Sing Se and found themselves walking onto the platform with their hefty duffle bags draped over their shoulders.

Bolin talked as they walked, while each of their eyes greedily took in the immense grandeur that was the city. "Where do you think we should start Mako?"

"I dunno Bo. This place is huge. I hadn't really thought of it."

Since Avatar Aang's time, the conditions of Ba Sing Se improved by leaps and bounds. Though the walls separating sections of the city still existed, the doors that usually remained closed now lay wide open; persons of every social status coming and going as they pleased. The soldiers at each gate no only served for directional purposes and now lacked the stern, emotionless facial expressions seen over 80 years before.

Stepping off the platform, the brothers unknowingly walked into an entirely new world. Instantly they were propelled into a slew of raw city bustle unique to the Earth Kingdom alone. Venders jogged up and down the streets toting their large carts with them as they shouted their specialties over the rumbling crowds of onlookers. Children laughed as they ran along in little herds, creating mischief without a care upon their youthful heads. The crowds of buyers (dashed with a hint of solicitors; their wares within the flaps of their coats and robes) were all mixed with those who bore no money, only the torn rags on their backs, and those who had a comfortable pocket full of change but in no interest to buy, only to sell their own trinkets (that only tourists could love), and then there were those who owned bundles of money here to see and look what was for sale, their arrogance and stingy selective purchasing seeing through to only one or two items bought in a five hour shopping day.

But yet, as both brothers could see (when they weren't tripping over young ones or dodging carts being blindly hauled by), everyone prospered—lived together in harmony. The brothers grinned at each other, proud to see Avatar Aang's outstanding long-lasting contribution to the world.

"Hey Bo," Mako started, only half-realizing he had spoken, for he still watched on in and around the crowds, hypnotized by everyone's daily goings-on.

"Hm?" Bolin glanced at Mako a split second before his attentions were caught by a food vender. His emerald green eyes doubled in size and he instantly charged for it, Pabu on his shoulders, licking his fading gray fuzzy chops.

"Didn't Asami say the new Avatar stole from venders? Bo? Bolin?" Mako swerved around, searching the huddles of people for the familiar face of his brother. The streets were bathed in people he'd ever seen before and he knew it was futile to try and find Bolin now. He would just have to fend for himself an hour or two before somebody recognized the legendary Fabulous Bending Brothers and BAM—instant soup for reuniting.

"He must've seen some food," he guessed to himself. All well, he could search for the Avatar until his well thought out plan was put into action. Acquiring their fame from their competing days and even now as the owners of the place in which they started, would ultimately pay off.

Before he and Bolin were to be reunited, Mako braved the scattered bundles and mobs of buyers and sellers alike, his eyes peeled for any signs related to the new Avatar. Whether news or an outbreak of some unsuspecting vender being tricked and stolen from, or a little earthbender bending air as well as earth at people…or both cases, erupted over the city—it didn't matter which one. Or if even all of them happened. He would rush to the site of confusion immediately.

But until then, he was wary, his eyes taking in every detail of the stands chuck full of items to be sold before they flicked to the next stand to continue their search. It was like this even as he took in the many different faces he came across, as well as buildings; his brain diligently absorbing everything his eyes took in as if counting inventory.

Like this, for hours he walked, his shoes scuffing from the dirt below his feet and loose rocks being kicked up and tossed yards in front of him. His bag got heavier with every winding street he strolled, as he had not set it down since the train ride, and eventually the muscles in his arms grew tired and sore. This happened about the time the bundles of venders, carts, and people looking to purchase ended and houses everywhere began popping up like daisies. First, the huts of the people barely scraping by, of which bordered the streets just past the shopping district. A good way off, an interconnected wall stood between him and the sight of even more houses, nicer though, as these were the middle class houses.

It was here, in the shopping district, when Mako realized a good five and a half hours had elapsed, judging by the sun's new disappearance over the edge of the immense walls encircling the city. It cast an unusual shadow over the city, bathing some areas in semi-darkness and others eerily closer to nighttime. It was then he also realized he and Bolin were also separated, and he felt a pang of worry.

_Stop it, _Mako told himself silently, _He's a grown man now. He'll be fine._

Mako was passing a noodle shop just as he figured the twinge of worry would never subside. A claw of hunger clutched at his stomach and he suddenly noticed how famished he was after having gone hungry the whole day. He walked into the shop.

The inside was dimly lit, with only a few tables situated sporadically before him. Workers, three in all, browsed around the shop as if no hurry and it all blatantly screamed to him a very nice atmosphere for noodles. Locally owned, he assumed as well.

A tiny family—a set of parents and a small boy—sat against the wall on the left, eating noodles and dumplings together, conversing quietly, happily.

"Mako! Hey Mako!" Bolin's voice entered his ears at a harsh whisper.

Mako immediately spotted Bolin on the opposite wall, three empty bowls in front of him and more coming on a tray by the waiter who was walking towards his table. Mako joined him just as the waiter left; Bolin shoved a bowl towards his older brother.

"Any luck?" Bolin slurped, arising the interests of Pabu, whose head popped up at the sound.

Mako shook his head. He grabbed the pair of chopsticks in front of him and began piling the noodles into his mouth.

Bolin shrugged, his mouth full. "Maybe tomorrow," he suggested through his noodles, his cheeks puffed up like balloons.

"E-excuse me?"

Mako and Bolin turned to see the little boy standing next to their table, clutching a napkin in his fist and holding it close to his chest. His head and face tilted downwards bashfully, his scruffy brown hair falling over his eyes, but they—his eyes—watched the brothers with intent. Curiosity swam in the forest green.

The boy spoke again, "Can I get your autographs?"

Mako blinked at Bolin, "Sure, buddy. What's your name?"

The boy held out the crinkled napkin to Mako. "Xing."

Mako searched a moment in his duffel bag by his side. He pulled out an ink pen and signed, "_To our friend, Xing, from Mako"_. He slid the pen and napkin over to Bolin, who chewed and swallowed his mouthful of noodles quickly. He signed his name next to Mako's. "Say," he observed, "you look like an earthbender."

The boy's miniscule voice lilted, "I am one," he grinned, showing teeth (two missing on the bottom row).

Bolin chuckled and handed the napkin back to the boy. "I can tell."

After marveling at the napkin a moment, the boy replied, "You can?"

Bolin nodded, "I can sense these things…I'm an earthbender too."

Mako knew it was because of the dirt smudges running all over the boy's clothes, face, hands, and feet, despite his nice, patch-free clothes.

"I know! You are my favorite Fire Ferret!" he exclaimed excitedly, crinkling the napkin ever further.

Bolin beamed.

"H-hey!" Mako cackled, "What about me?"

Xing blushed, almost embarrassed and apologetic, "You are my Momma's favorite and Daddy really loved Avatar Korra."

Mako and Bolin glanced over at the table where the boy's parents were watching their son. They waved and the brothers waved back, smiling.

Mako looked back down to Xing. The boy appeared only about six. Way too young to know anything about the Fire Ferrets. "Well," Mako started, an infitesimal smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, "Your parents have excellent taste in teams. And so do you."

It was amazing to know their team, though long-time out of season and disbanded, still had an impact with the world outside the arena. However big or small it was, it didn't matter to Mako, to either of the brothers—what mattered is that they still received _new_ fans, like young Xing here. It gave birth to a happiness Mako had not felt in a long while. It was very much similar to his glee felt upon winning a match.

The boy must've seen the silent, faraway look on Mako's face because his own suddenly went solemn. "Sir, I-I think Avatar Korra is still with you. Momma said after my grandpa died that those we love never leave you when they die. They always watch over you and take care of you."

"I believe you mother is right," Mako replied, leaning closer to the boy, his elbow resting on the table, "Thank you."

Xing smiled, "The Fabulous Bending Brothers!" With that, he skipped off to show his parents the signed napkin. A treasure they would all enjoy.

A few minutes later, the family left. Mako thinking all the while.

"Mako he said I was his favorite! Me! Bo-lin! How cool is that? I'm his favorite!" He had his arms stretched out over the table in the 'ta-da' gesture.

"He was an earthbender," Mako stated.

Bolin's arms dropped. "Did you hear me? I said I was Xing's favorite. I still have fans! We still have fans!"

Still, Bolin's words unintentionally travelled through one of Mako's ears and then out the other. "He was about six years old. The same age the new Avatar should be." Mako was silent a minute, then suddenly, "We should find a room close to here," he stood up and emptied his pockets of cash. He placed the bills on the table. Then he slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, waiting for Bolin to follow him.

He did. "Why here?"

"I have a hunch."

****Aaannnnnddd, there it is. Sorry it took a bit longer than I intended. Reviews please! (: ****


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

Mako and Bolin had found a room to stay in within the next hour. It was situated a bit deeper into the shopping district and was the top floor in a two story building; above a shop that sold 'antiques' from all four of the nations. The room itself was cramped, with a single-burner stove in the corner. Two twin beds were installed next to each other on the left wall and a door leading into the tiniest bathroom they'd ever seen on the wall opposite the counter.

It wasn't much, that much was obvious. But it was all they needed. They were familiar with this type of living. It was close to home.

"I didn't expect to find anything on the first day, but I have a hunch that she's near," Mako said while getting ready for bed.

She? The Avatar.

"Xing?" Bolin asked from inside the bathroom. He was in his boxers, brushing his teeth. The suds from the toothpaste covered his mouth, making him appear like a rabid liondillo.

Mako pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it to the ground. He crawled under the covers of the bed closest to the bathroom door. "Yeah, I think all the earthbender kids must play together."

Bolin spat into the sink and looked at Mako using the mirror in front of him. "And what a better place than here?" he continued, wiping the toothpaste from his lips.

Exactly, "The roads are all dirt and gravel here. In nicer areas it's all cobblestone. They're more likely to get in trouble for bending with that than the dirt here."

"Good point." Bolin switched the light off in the bathroom and then again in the main room. "Besides, it's more fun when you can get dirty all you want," he said with a slight smile.

Mako heard him slide under his sheets and then the purr of Pabu filled in the silence of the room.

"Goodnight, Bo. If I'm gone in the morning, I went to go search some more and didn't want to bother you." Mako half whispered.

"Okay. Goodnight Mako."

The next morning, just as Mako had said, Bolin woke up in the room alone. It was the first time in a long time but Bolin was not afraid. Or worried. No, those were two emotions that had felt alien to him in the longest span of time.

Bolin exhaled, staring at the dusty cracks in the ceiling. He felt a tiny nose press into his hand as it lay by his side. He lifted it and lowered it onto the soft back of Pabu and stroked his fur.

Pabu chattered lovingly, closing his shiny button-like eyes and licked Bolin's arm tiredly. He was getting on in his years and if it weren't for this reason alone, he would've already pounced on top of Bolin and woken him up hours ago.

After lying in his bed for a few minutes, calm, relaxed and enjoying these silent moments in the company of his best friend, Bolin heaved himself up off the mattress and reached high with his arms extended above his head and let loose a large, relieving belch.

Then he proceeded to take on the day.

Meanwhile, Mako had been in the streets tracking and backtracking every place he'd been on the previous day. He had high hopes this midmorning hour and he even felt a little lucky. Today Mako would find her. He was sure of it.

Yet, thus far he had come up empty handed. Granite, he had only searched for about five hours—since 6 o'clock this morning. Mako pulled a folded piece of paper from his jacket pocket. He unfolded it where he leaned against a wall belonging to a clothing store in the heart of the shopping district. He took a pencil from behind his ear and marked a blatant 'X' over the area next to where he stood. Mako tapped the map with the pencil, his eyebrows knotted, and the paper making repeated sharp slapping noises. Other 'X's formed a rough crescent around and through the parts of the district, marking the path he had taken.

Despite it being morning, the city was up and running again. People left for work, children took to the streets, kicking a kickball to each other, and so on like the gears in a mantle clock.

Mako's whole game plan revolved around the children playing in the streets. He hoped some of them would be earthbenders. And if he was as lucky as he felt, one would be an airbender, too. He counted on these kids, he knew, as a trio of them skipped past where he stood. None of them earthbent. Mako sighed, his eyes dropping back to the map.

"Maybe, I'm doing something wrong," he muttered to himself.

"Whatcha doing wrong Mister?"

Mako folded the corner of the paper down over his thumb with his index finger, making eye contact with a boy over the edge of the map. The boy was holding a ball in his arms and smiled up at Mako innocently.

Mako assumed this boy was about nine years old. He wore shorts and an untucked t-shirt with suspenders—one of which was not fastened properly. The boy's whole get-up was complete with mismatching socks and a patchy cap sitting crooked on his head.

Mako folded the paper into its square and shoved it back into his pocket. He had an idea. "I think someone gave me the wrong address to someone I'm supposed to meet."

"Who?"

"I don't know, but I'm lost and I was wondering if you could help me."

The boy shrugged, a sly smiled touched his face. "I dunno. Maybe I can, maybe I can't."

Ah, so that's how it's going to go. "Sure you do, you look like a smart kid."

The boy shifted the ball to one arm, pinning it between his hip and arm. "I could probably tell ya whatcha want to know if you play a game of ball with my friends and me."

Oh, so he didn't want money. Or maybe that's just him posing. Either way, he had tricks up his sleeve. Mako took notice of the four other boys in the street, waiting and watching Mako with an almost greedy interest.

"Alright, tell me how it goes," Mako agreed, playing along.

The boy looked over his shoulder, "Alright, Gansu, goalposts!"

One of the boys, the bigger one with chubby cheeks, stepped forward and stomped at the ground as if he were throwing a fit. Two goalposts emerged from the ground in the middle of the road—one directly aside the huddle of boys and the other down by the end of the street.

Mako knew without a doubt, these boys were all earthbenders. He knew they'd use it to the best of their abilities and probably made deals like this on a regular day-to-day basis, to get the better of unsuspecting tourists.

Mako smirked to himself, stepping into the street. These were just kids, but they were clever, but he also knew they'd keep their end of the bargain. Then again, they didn't know Mako was a bender himself. And they also didn't know Mako used to make deals like this all the time—tricking people, betting, games, and then taking the money of those who underestimated Mako's cunning. Of course, back then he only did it to feed Bolin. He wondered if it was the same deal with these boys, even if this was only game to get information.

The leader of the group (the boy in the cap) divvied of the teams. Three players on each. The boy in the cap, chubby cheeks, and a scrawny looking seven year old on the opposite team and Mako and the pair of mischievous looking twins on the other.

When the leader spouted off the rules and how to play the game, Mako knew what was really going on and he almost laughed out loud.

Tourist, yes.

But Mako wasn't thick.

****Okay, sorry this took so long to publish. I had this chapter sitting in my folder for the longest time before I actually had time on my hands to type this up. Hope you like! (: Review please!****


	11. Chapter 11

****Hello again, readers. (: Just to let you know, the next chapter will be the last of this fanfic. I'll be wrapping it up all swell and dandy like a present for ya before I start on my next fanfic (which I am actually writing now). So thanks for all the favorites and follows and reviews!****

Chapter 11:

Bolin stumbled across Mako purely by chance. He'd been eating a bowl of noodles on the go, shoveling the food in his mouth as he walked when he heard kids laughing and yelling curious commands at one another. He started walking towards the sounds when he swore he heard Mako's deep throated, hearty, genuinely-having-a-good-time laugh in the same direction as the other sounds from the kids.

He rounded a corner, glancing at this weird goalpost looking thing over his bowl of noodles.

"Oi, duck!"

Bolin barely had moments (and noodles) to spare as a ball whizzed over his head, missing the goalpost by a longshot. Bolin glanced down and sighed a sigh of relief. His noodles were okay.

"Sorry!" a tall boy came running at Bolin and he noted a chipped tooth in that youthful grin. The boy picked up the ball and ran back into the street, "We're kinda playin' here!"

Bolin watched the boy sprint back into the street only to meet the image of his older brother. "Huh," Bolin breathed to himself, crossing his arms and leaned against a pole attached to an overhang in front of one of the many shops in the district.

The game picked up again and Bolin watched as the ball was kicked and thrown about. Blocks of earth were bent by the boys on both teams (minus Mako, obviously), creating tracks for the ball to roll into the goalpost next to Bolin, making walls to block the ball from entering, and sneakier things like bits of rock being bent to trip up players on opposing teams. Yet despite this tomfoolery, Mako beamed with ecstasy and joy, chuckling and sweating from the extracurricular labor.

In all the commotion, Mako showed no signs of anger or resentment towards these kids as he tripped over himself and clumps of earth being thrown up at and against him. Mako seemed to care even less as he was covered in dirt stains and smudges and sweat clung to every inch of him, shiny ribbons of perspiration glistened down his forehead and neck.

The game suddenly came to an end when the ball bounced through the goalpost one last time and the boys dropped their fists and cheered. Even the boys laughed on Mako's team and they all circled Mako where he crouched, on the ground now, panting and smiling.

Bolin found himself walking closer, forgetting the bowl of noodles he abandoned on a pile of empty wooden crates behind him. Bolin laughed down at his brother who gasped, struggling to get air into his lungs, "Having fun, Mako?"

Mako glanced up at Bolin and wiped sweat off his brow, "Hey Bolin and yeah, these boys know how to play a game." He said it as if impressed.

Bolin outstretched a hand and assisted Mako to his feet. "You know, I'd been standing there a good twenty minutes and not once did I see you bend at them. They were doing it to trip you up kinda like back in the Arena."

"They're just kids, bro. What was I going to do? Singe their hair off?" he chuckled.

"Whoa! You're a firebender?" a boy in a hat jumped over, joining the little huddle of boys around the two brothers.

Mako replied by opening his palm and letting a flower of yellow heat claim it.

"That's so cool!" cried another kid and they all made noises of amazement.

Not to be left out, Bolin interjected, "I'm an earthbender, too." To prove it, he leveled the mess of rock and rubble created by the boys in the street. When he was done, the ground was completely flat and able to be walked along once again.

"That's real charmin' and all and—" the boy in the cap looked up at Mako, "we had a deal. I know everything about this city. Whatdoya want to know?"

Mako smiled. "What do you know about the whereabouts of the new Avatar?"

Bolin was shocked Mako was so upfront about it, but the group of boys seemed unphased by this. The boy in the hat rubbed his chin, "Oh yeah. She's definitely here, but you won't find her if yer lookin'. She's mighty smart."

"Do you know where she is?" Mako questioned, overlooking the small problem the boy just revealed to them.

"You said you were family?"

"We were close," Mako nodded. Technically, it _was _true.

The boy made a sound like a sharp hum. "Well, she won't do nothin' to me. If you say you're close, I'll tell you. She's usually out by the carts n' such by now. That way," the boy jerked his chin up the road, towards the busy center of the district.

"Thanks," Mako said.

"Thank _you_ for the game," the boy tilted his hat up at Mako, "You're a lucky one. Most people don't last as long."

Mako chuckled, pleased and amused.

Soon after, Mako and Bolin trekked to the center of the shopping district.

Mako and Bolin had sat in the _very_ center of the shopping district for a good long four hours. It was early afternoon now and the sun held back nothing in terms of heat where it floated directly above them. The brothers situated themselves on the edge of a three-tiered stone fountain and used it repeatedly to cool themselves.

Mako dipped his hand back into the cool water pool next to him and brought up a tiny cup of water in his hand and swung his arm immediately to the nape of his neck where the water would empty and cool the back of his neck. He did the same thing for his forehead and moments later, Bolin copied his movements.

"Man, I'm so glad we don't have fur coats like Pabu. We'd be miserable—probably dying." Bolin commented as they both sat, watching the crowds sifting through the district.

"And we aren't dying now?" Mako retorted, scoffing with a smile.

Bolin tipped his head, an eyebrow rising. He had a point. "We don't even know what she looks like and we only know of a possibility that she'll be here."

"I know, bro," Mako said, "But we have enough. Hey," Mako tapped Bolin's shoulder and pointed into a crowd across from them.

Bolin followed his finger, interested.

There was a girl in the midst of the flurry of people passing by. She was small, timid looking, and had in her hands a melon, clutching onto it and looking up at the clerk with her eyes. A second later, the clerk (plump and old, with a cheery grin) turned around and the girl lifted her other hand to reveal a fistful of Yuan coins.

The brothers exhaled after holding their breaths all those precious moments. Bolin glanced at Mako and saw extinguished hope and unsatisfaction within his brother's fiery eyes. Bolin took a breath and gazed back into the crowd.

Bolin caught sight of another girl and pointed her out. A minute later, a man swooped down and lifted her up onto his shoulders.

Nope. Nope. No. Nu-uh. Zip. Nada. Wrong. Try again.

It would be like this for the next four and a half weeks.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

It was disappointment after aching disappointment. No matter how long either of the brothers had searched, every available contender had a home, wasn't alone, didn't steal anything, and none of them earthbent or airbent.

Both brothers thought of giving up the chase. They would never find her. Not after this long. But neither Mako nor Bolin wanted to say this. Neither wanted to admit defeat. For one, they didn't have it in them—it didn't run in their blood. And two: They felt that if they did, they would let down their Avatar.

They would let down Korra.

They couldn't give up.

Mako took these realizations especially hard, and Bolin knew it. Bolin had refrained from telling Mako they would never find her for a few days now. They searched from street to street, wall to wall, up and down Ba Sing Se and not in just the shopping district, either. Bolin was getting weary and could not take this kind of let down like Mako could. He would let him have at least one more day until he shared his decision to go back home and run the Arena.

He just couldn't figure out if Mako would agree to return to Republic City with him. He had that awful feeling in his stomach that the answer to that question would be a firm 'no'. Bolin knew his brother.

Mako would not quit. It was not an option for his older brother.

It'll be the death of him. Bolin knew. Which is why he was reluctant to utter a word about it before now.

_Now? _Bolin thought, _Now, he's out looking again and I'm contemplating leaving him. I should be out there, too._

For this, Bolin felt truly repulsive beside himself. Why, a majority of this trip all he'd done was eat and sit around! Mako had done most of the work—the mapping, the asking around, the works. Mako searched day to night and night to day. Bolin hadn't done anything of use. Bolin felt horrid.

Bolin stood up off his bed. He would help now. He would find the new Avatar and bring her home to Mako.

Bolin left in a hurry, dashing down the steps from their room that led into the shop below. He half-ran from the shop and into the moonlit night. How he expected to do it—to find the Avatar, he did not know. The world around him was a thick curtain of black jelly. Whoa, Bolin was hungry.

"I'm always hungry," he muttered to himself, scowling down at the rumblings in his empty food cavity. Bolin ran down the street. Down every street…until he tripped over a stone in the road and was catapulted into the air and landed hard on his face.

Bolin grunted and sat up. For a minute he just sat there, in the middle of the lonely road. Thoughts of every shape, size, intensity, and order, zoomed through his skull. What was he doing? Sitting in the dirt. No, what was he really doing?

Just then, Bolin spotted something out of the corner of his eye. There…in the safe warm cloak of the darkness, next to a stack of wooden crates piled in the pyramid formation.

"Hey," Bolin said calmly, never taking his eyes from the spot and smiling, "Hey, it's okay. You can come out. I won't hurt you," he cooed.

A mousecat leapt onto the box at the top of the heap and mewed. Bolin exhaled, his shoulders sagging and the back of his hands slapping the ground in defeat.

Maybe he would have to tell Mako. Maybe he would just have to give up. Maybe he already had a long time ago; he was just too stubborn to see it. But hey, that's the earthbender style.

Bolin got up. Defeated. Done. "Come on, Korra. Send us a little help please. If you can hear me," he pleaded quietly.

At that very instant, Mako had been on the opposite side of the town. He rested now (a well-deserved rest, in his opinion), on a bench under the lamplight glow, stroking the blue pendant and satin string in his hands. He was silent about it, but he had been asking—praying to—the spirits…to Korra…to send him help. Anything to find her reincarnation. He'd prayed night and day and in between meals, silently in his head—sometimes formally and sometimes as if only catching up with a long lost friend.

Now he wished for the aid more than ever as he studied the necklace in his gloved hands. "Korra," he whispered down at it, as if she would appear any moment with it around her neck, "Korra, please. Help me."

Mako abruptly stopped when two dirty, shoeless, feet came into view, just past the pendant to which he clung and gazed down to. Mako looked up.

The little boy in front of him had shaggy, uncombed and short, short hair. It looked like a four year old took scissors to it—uneven sloppy locks of dark brown, mud-caked hair spiked out in every direction. The face of this boy was petite and slightly sunk in, as if the boy had not eaten in a few days longer than he should have. But the eyes of this boy where shining with all the stars in the world and they were staring straight into Mako's, with coloring like fluid meadows of lush green vegetation. Mako sat back, his back against the bench now and saw that the boy wore a ruined shirt and vest and trousers with holes in the knees. Dirt and earth covered every inch of him.

The boy's manner was cautious and tentative as he observed Mako. He opened his mouth, making a small opening before speaking, "Why are you crying?"

Mako hadn't realized he was. "What's your name, kid?"

"Korra."

Mako's eyes doubled in surprise a split second before he cleared his throat and glanced down. It was a girl, not a boy.

"Mom named me after the last Avatar who died too early," the voice was low and just as cautious as her stance in front of him was.

Mako nodded, swallowing. "Shouldn't you be at home? With your parents?"

The girl named Korra shook her head, never losing sight of Mako's face and expression.

Mako sighed. He might as well. "Well because, I failed her. I failed the love of my life—it was my duty, my responsibility, and I failed her again."

"Who?"

Mako blinked at Korra, a small smile on his lips. Not because he was happy, but because this little girl actually cared enough to ask. "Are you sure you don't have a place to be…Korra?" He eyed her much like a parent studying their child.

The girl nodded.

Mako swung his head to the side, looking down at the empty seat next to him. "Alright. Let me tell you a story. You do like stories?"

She nodded, crawling up into the spot next to him.

He honestly didn't know why he was going to share this story with this little Korra. He didn't know why he was giving in and settling. Maybe he just needed…maybe…oh he didn't know what it was. Frankly, he did not care anymore because then, he spilled out his heart about his lover and his Avatar. Everything. Again. Everything to this little kid he barely knew.

And she listened, blinking and nodding every once in a while. Silent, but interested.

Mako concluded his and Korra's story once again, "And ever since then, I promised myself I'd find the new Avatar. It'll be the death of me if I let her go again. Bolin knows it, too. He's been itching to go back home, I can see it in his face, but I can't go home. Not until I find the next Avatar."

"Who is Bolin again?"

"My baby brother. He loved Korra a lot, too."

"Can I see that necklace please?" the little girl motioned to the satin in Mako's hand.

Without thinking about it, Mako placed it in her cupped hands. She blinked at it, feeling it curiously as if she was thinking and then her eyes flicked back to Mako.

In the semi-darkness it was difficult to distinguish her expression. "Do you still love her?"

Mako smiled and pulled off one of his black gloves. He lifted his palm to show this Korra what he had done for the old Korra. A raised, clean-cut scar stretched diagonally across the palm to the bottom of his first finger. The remnants of the burn wound he had endured over six years ago to demolish the weapon that killed his lover. "I always have." _I always will._

Little Korra took his single giant hand in her two tiny ones—his outsizing hers like a sky bison to a polar bear dog. She still gripped the necklace in her hand too, and Mako felt it against his skin as she pressed her hands to his.

He looked at Korra with a soft expression as she examined his scars. He never thought he could love someone so quickly, much less a love like this.

"Korra?" Mako grabbed her attention.

She smiled at him, her eyes twinkling and crinkling at the corners.

"Do you have parents?"

She let go of his hand and dropped hers, still clutching the betrothal necklace. She lowered her head and shook it slowly. "No. They got killed in a car accident on my fifth birthday."

"I'm sorry Kor—" Mako was stopped short by two little arms quickly wrapping around his neck and a scraggly little head burying itself in his jacket, tears vanishing within the folds.

She was all alone in this great big city.

Mako enclosed her in his arms too, almost making her disappear with his sheer size. "Korra, would you like to come live with me? You would have a nice big house, all the clothes you want, toys, food, and Bolin lives right next door. You could go see him whenever you want."

The search for the Avatar evaporated from Mako's mind. Suddenly, it didn't matter.

_He let go._ Of everything—this responsibility he felt he had, the duty. It was all meaningless to him. A memory he would forever cherish, yes, but he let go. Of Korra. Of his Avatar that passed long before her time.

He had a little girl here who needed him. Here and now. If she would let him, he would become her father. Because, well, he loved this child which he now held in his arms. He would protect her and love her as his own because she needed it. _Because it felt right._

Like he was always meant to be her dad.

Korra gripped tighter onto Mako and he felt her nod yes. He exhaled a sigh of happiness and relief. "Well then, let's get home and get you cleaned up huh?" he lifted up onto his feet, carrying Korra with him. He situated her around his midsection and smiled at her. She smiled back at him, her eyes like glass from all the tears, and tied the necklace around her neck.

It settled nicely there, where it shone in the lamplight and Korra raised her head to let Mako look at it. The grin on her face spoke accomplishment and boasted pride. Mako kept smiling back at her as she clasped her hands around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

By the time Mako reached the room, dawn had already arrived to the world. Carefully, Mako unclasped Korra's hands from around his neck and placed her on his bed and tucked her in even more carefully. A satisfied grin crossed his face and he made a place for himself, using his jacket as a pillow, on the ground next to the bed.

By the time he awoke again, it was by a surprised Bolin and nearly dinnertime.

Mako rubbed his face and blinked at his brother tiredly. He jumped back immediately, seeing the sight before him.

Bolin's hair was wild and tangled. His shoes were scuffed and splotchy to no end and there was a rip in the hem of his shirt. Above all, Bolin's eyes were bloodshot from the lack of sleep and his face was busted up. It looked like he had a mad run-in with something hard.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Mako asked sleepily, suppressing a yawn.

"Oh, I ran into a badgermole. I was out looking for the Avatar half the night and day while you're here with her and sleeping like it's nothing!" He half-yelled, crazed.

Mako sat up, "Whoa. Whoa. Bo, she isn't the Avatar and she's sleeping. So be quiet."

Bolin stepped aside, "Then explain that, bro!"

Mako's eyes came to rest on little Korra, who held a beautiful blooming yellow flame in her hand about the size of her fist. When she saw Mako watching her, the flame went out and she waved, grinning.

Mako waved back, amazed for a moment. He turned back to Bolin, who loomed over him like a skyscraper, "So what? She's a firebender. It isn't that rare."

Bolin turned back to Korra, "Hey Korra."

"Hey!" she giggled. A cute little jingling in their ears.

"Can you show Mako what you were showing me earlier?" Bolin asked her.

She nodded and took a stance unlike a firebender's. Her wrists flicked and her arms swam, pulling, pushing, her whole body swaying with it before she gave one last forceful shove in the direction of the bathroom door.

A gust of wind sprouted from nowhere and slammed the door shut.

"See?" Bolin exclaimed, "The Avatar! You didn't know?"

"No," Mako breathed, looking at Korra with a seeming new pair of eyes.

Korra relaxed and a smile reappeared on her face as she turned back to Mako. She ran up to him and knelt at his side.

"Why didn't you tell me Korra?"

"I wanted to surprise you Daddy," she replied cheerily, "And old Korra says 'You did good, City Boy'." She said it with a twisted eyebrow and expression on her face, as if she didn't quite grasp it herself.

But Mako understood all too well.

_**~The End~**_


End file.
